All of the Ballhttps://alloftheball.com
A Historical Look At Modern SportThu, 24 May 2018 08:33:54 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/b4c92b0e2f8d8a1194120bc3fdcfaa5c?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngAll of the Ballhttps://alloftheball.com
Offside Ref!!! Definitely, possibly, maybe..wasn’t it?https://alloftheball.com/2017/12/06/offside-ref-definitely-possibly-maybe-wasnt-it/
https://alloftheball.com/2017/12/06/offside-ref-definitely-possibly-maybe-wasnt-it/#respondWed, 06 Dec 2017 22:54:13 +0000http://alloftheball.com/?p=230One of the biggest arguments in football remains the offside rule and its application. Correct and incorrect offside decisions by officials have decided Championships and Cups finals.

Today we have a rule that involves numerous actions that all have to be observed and interpreted in less than a second by an official. Some will argue an impossible task. So how did we get there to this
situation?

Since the birth of the modern game in England during the 19th century, offside existed in some form or another. One of the oldest set of rules dated 1856 included the rule that more than three defending players needed to be between the attacker who receives the ball and the goal.

As with the creation of any game there were many who claimed to be an authority on it. The original Sheffield Association’s rules contained no equivalent of the offside rule.

When the London based Football Association created its first laws in 1863 it stated a player was offside if he was ahead of the ball when it was played to him.
The first official match between the two associations saw C.W Alcock become the first player ruled offside.

When Queens Park joined the Football Association in 1866 it proposed the law be changed to the more than 3 defender rule as mentioned in the 1856 set of rules. The FA accepted this and with only a few minor alterations in the following years, it remained unchanged until 1925.

In 1903, it was deemed the rule came in to effect when the ball was played rather than received. In 1907, you could only be offside in your opponents half.

However, one of the negative effects of the rule from a spectator’s point of view was the lack of goals. By 1925 teams were using the offside trap to catch their opponents offside meaning scoreless draws became more frequent and as a result attendances dropped.

The FA came up with two proposals to combat this. The first was a new line in each half 40 yards from goal behind which the forward could not be offside. The second was to require only two defenders between the attacker and the goal. A match was organised to trial these options with each been used in either half. The result was the introduction of the two defender rule.

A change in 1990 allowed the attacking player be level with the second last defender and still be onside.

However, in 2005 the rule changed to promote attacking football. It allowed arguably more flexibility in refereeing decisions by addressing every element of an offside decision.

It first cleared up that an attacker would only be offside if any part of his\her body that legally can play the ball is in an offside position.

The more complex part is the interfering with play element of the rule. This is the source of countless arguments. This determined that a player could be in an offside position yet not be offside if not
interfering with play. Confused? Hang on.

Interfering outside of actually playing the ball involves obstructing the defenders movements or vision while in an offside position or gesturing\moving to distract a defender while in an offside position.

After over 150 years since the FA introduced the offside rule it remains contentious, who would want to be a referee.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2017/12/06/offside-ref-definitely-possibly-maybe-wasnt-it/feed/0BFC951A0-E5F8-474B-B7E0-1CB1B636C802alloftheball27BB2F3D-8FB8-438A-B3BF-B6D04A68BDF98ED4E06D-5073-4E69-B803-12EDC14835EFA post, a goal and a replay. A tale of two “City’s” Cup Final. https://alloftheball.com/2017/11/03/a-post-a-goal-and-a-replay-a-tale-of-two-citys-cup-final/
https://alloftheball.com/2017/11/03/a-post-a-goal-and-a-replay-a-tale-of-two-citys-cup-final/#respondFri, 03 Nov 2017 21:23:10 +0000http://alloftheball.com/?p=190Ahead of Sundays FAI Cup Final I look back at Cork City FC’s first final in 1989.

Before his right foot rifled the ball into Bayern Munich’s net Dave Barry’s left foot nearly won Cork City their first FAI Cup.

Under the watchful eye of Alex Ferguson at a sunny Dalymount Park his Cork side met the Norths all conquering Derry City in the final.

The northerners in their famous red and white “candy stripes” were looking to complete a domestic treble having comfortably won the league and league cup.

The unique pairing in the final was even more special as just 5 years earlier neither had been league clubs. Cork city were only founded in 1984 while Derry despite existing since 1928 had only joined the league of Ireland in 1985.

Both teams were looking to get their hands on the cup for the first time.

Derry had tasted defeat the previous year to Dundalk while the last time cup final fever visited Leeside was in 1973 when Cork Hibernians (no longer in existence in 1989) won the cup after a replay in Flower Lodge.

On April 30th over 20,000 fans packed in to the historic Stadium in Dublin’s Northside. Those supporting the heavily fancied Candystripes vastly outnumbering their southerner opponents. A sea of red and white with hints of green covered the terraces.

However it was the Cork team in their iconic styled jersey of the era (better known as worn by the world cup winning German team the following year) who surprised their opposition by starting with high energy and intensity.

Headers from Brian Carey and Liam Murphy in the first five minutes nearly opened the scoring for the Leesiders. It took 20 minutes before Derry had their first real chance when Jonathan Speak’s low drive was saved from Harrington in the Cork goal. The sides went in at half time scoreless.

Derry introduced Noel Larkin in the second half and the northerners began to look more like the team who dominated the league. Moving the ball forward with flair.

However it was then Cork came closest to scoring when a clever build up between Liam Murphy and Patsy Freyne set up a volley for Dave Barry. Off his left foot the ball hit the inside of the post and agonisingly along the goal line and away.

After that Derry imposed themselves on the game and chances from Carlyle and Doolin nearly broke the deadlock. Then Coyle was put through but could only find the side netting. A late chance for a matchwinner from Speak was headed away by Corks resilient defence.

The game ended 0-0 with Barry lamenting “We were so close to causing the shock of the season.”

The replay scheduled for the same venue the following Sunday meant travel plans for players on both teams required tweaking.
Noel Larkin who had been so influential for Derry had planned to emigrate to Australia that week but a chat with manager Jim Mclaughlin postponed this.

Dave Barry was scheduled to travel to the big apple with the Cork Gaelic Football team to play New York in the national league final. As this was to be decided over 2 games and on the back of huge public support the county board agreed he would join his other teammates after the replay.

On a warm day in May only 10,800 showed up for the replay but they witnessed a different Derry side. The controversy that saw Jonathan Speak dropped due to a pre-match argument with his manager didn’t seem to affect them.
They played with a lot more urgency and except for the heroics of Corks goalkeeper Phil Harrington would have been out of sight in the first 20 minutes.

However they did get the break through after 11 minutes when a long clearance caused problems in the Cork penalty area before Felix Healy drove his shot into the net to put the candy stripes in the lead.

The Leesiders few chances in the first half included a near own goal by Jack Keay whose back pass fooled Dalton in the Derry goal but to the relief of the red and white support rolled just wide. John Caulfield was put through but indecision meant he fired it straight at the goalkepper.

The second half proved less exciting. Half chances by Cork were stopped by a resolute Derry defence.

However the result was still in question right up to the final whistle and a Pat Duggan cross in to the goalmouth in the closing minutes was headed down by Kevin Nugent only for Barry to just fail to get a touch and with it ended Cork hopes of an upset.

Derry City had won their first cup and completed a unique treble success.

Stuart Guald climbed the steps and rasied the cup to the delight of Brandywell faithful.

Dave Barry would never lift the FAI cup as a player but lead Cork City to their first cup success as manager in 1998.

Alex Ferguson would be impressed with Cork’s man of the match from the drawn game Brian Carey who would join Manchester United later in the summer.

Noel Larkin would emigrate to Australia and continue his footballing career as a player and coach out there.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2017/11/03/a-post-a-goal-and-a-replay-a-tale-of-two-citys-cup-final/feed/0img_5541alloftheballIrelands first major minor Finalhttps://alloftheball.com/2017/09/07/irelands-first-major-minor-final/
https://alloftheball.com/2017/09/07/irelands-first-major-minor-final/#respondThu, 07 Sep 2017 21:19:09 +0000http://alloftheball.com/?p=183Last Sunday saw the very last U18 All Ireland final take place when Galway defeated Cork in Croke Park. I look back at the first final.

The sun shone strongly into his eyes when young Frank Whelan walked up the Mardyke in Cork in October 1929. The Drumcondra man could easily have been mistaken as just another spectator at the Free State Football league game at the UCC venue. The local team Fordsons where taking on Drumcondra FC. However Frank and his other Dublin teammates would be on the adjacent pitch at the venue to play an All-Ireland hurling final.

Almost 2 months earlier they had taken part in the very first All-Ireland Minor Final at Croke Park, not far from Whelan’s home in Millmount Avenue. Their opponents were Cork whose senior team would be involved in the main event that day claiming All Ireland glory against Galway. In front of a crowd of 18,000 whom had reach the venue despite the lack of trams the youngsters would play out an exciting contest.

In great weather conditions Cork enjoyed the early exchanges and four points from Con Sheehan (3 from placed balls) and another from Mick Finn had them in a commanding lead approaching half time before Dublin conjured up a quick goal and a point from Reynolds and Nealin to put the minimum between them.

A large Cork contingent having arrived in the stadium by the second half roared their team on and 2 early points from the Rebels including a well worked team point from Finn had them back in command.

Then Dublin struck with another goal to tie the match. However their joy was short lived as Cork through the impressive Finn fired home a goal of their own moments later. Another Cork point seemed to put enough daylight between the teams but they couldn’t push their advantage on and as the game headed towards its conclusion Dublin struck back with a third goal.

Cork still held a one point lead but with moments left Dublin were awarded a free and tied the game sending the first minor All Ireland final to a replay.

The fact it took two months to replay was not a surprise as despite the year been 1929 this was the 1928 Minor championship.

Dublin had started their campaign a year earlier with a victory over Meath, followed by a walkover from Kilkenny and finally a Leinster Final win over Offaly late in September 1928 to qualify for the final they would play a year later.

Cork’s campaign had started even earlier in July 1928 with victory over Clare in Thurles before winning their Munster crown at the expense of Waterford in Mitchelstown nearly 12 months later in June 1929 to setup the showdown with Dublin.

It was agreed to replay the All Ireland final in Cork. So on the 29th October 1929 at the UCC grounds in the Mardyke both teams came face to face again.

A large crowd were in attendance when the ball was thrown in. However the standard they’d witness in the first 30 minutes was very different from the first game. Playing into a very strong sun Dublin started brightly but it was the home side who registered the first score with Finn tapping over a point. Moments later Denis Lynch was put through for a goal to extend their lead to 1-1.

Dublin responded quickly with a goal of their own but that was to be the last score of the first half for the visitors. Cork knocked over another point through James Ryng and a then a sloppy passage of play in Dublin’s goalmouth ended with a goal by Lynch. Another point by Finn was followed up by him with a goal that crashed in off the upright.

The floodgates started to open and Lynch added 2 more goals for the home side before Ryng and Dermot Cogan scored goals of their own to leave the half time score Cork 7-3 Dublin 1-0. The match was over as a contest but the standard would improve in the second half as Dublin attempted to fight back.

A change in tactics at half time saw Dublin rush at the Cork defence in the second half. It began to pay dividends early on as Kinsella picked up where he left off and posted goal number 2 for Dublin. The old idea that the best defence is a good attack was used and the earlier rampant Cork forwards were limited to only 3 points in the second half.

Constant attacks began to wear the Cork defence down but Dublin couldn’t convert their superior possession into scores. Finally Melinn put the ball in the back of the Cork net for goal number 3. He followed up with another just before the end of the game but there was no way back for the team from the capital. The damage having been done in the first 30 minutes leaving the final score Cork 7-6 Dublin 4-0.

Cork had won the inaugural All Ireland Minor (U18) Hurling Championship. Could they repeat their success the following year? If you had asked anyone in the Mardyke that sunny October day they’d have said ….No.

As seven days earlier at a wet Mitchelstown Athletic grounds the future 1928 All Ireland minor champions would exit the 1929 minor hurling championship at the hands of Tipperary.

Even Marty McFly from Back to the Future would be puzzled.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2017/09/07/irelands-first-major-minor-final/feed/0img_5763alloftheballUnited and Liverpool in match-fixing scandal !!!https://alloftheball.com/2014/12/11/united-and-liverpool-in-match-fixing-scandal/
https://alloftheball.com/2014/12/11/united-and-liverpool-in-match-fixing-scandal/#respondThu, 11 Dec 2014 08:29:08 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=150As England continues its “Football Remembers” campaign ahead of this week’s Manchester United V Liverpool fixture, I look at a match-fixing event it probably would like to forget.

Under the shadow of World War 1, the football league was entering an unknown future when Manchester United met Liverpool on Good Friday 1915 in Old Trafford. United were in a relegation battle while Liverpool were playing out a mid table season.

On top of that, both set of player’s careers were now uncertain. It was known that due to the war the league was going to be suspended at the end of the season.

United won the game 2-0 with goals from George Anderson. However, almost immediately questions were raised about the legitimacy of the result. People observed an unusual lack of effort from Liverpool during the game that included a missed penalty. Other evidence was when Liverpool striker Fred Pratham hit the crossbar late on he was berated by players on both sides.

The FA launched an investigation and concluded that 7 players were involved in the deception. United players Sandy Turnbull, Arthur Whalley and Enoch West, together with Liverpool’s Jackie Sheldon, Tom Miller, Bob Pursell and Thomas Fairfoul.

Jackie Sheldon who was an ex-United player was named as the ringleader and all seven were given lifetime bans.

Both George Anderson and Fred Pratham had chosen not to take part in the scam and testified against the others in the investigation. United legend Billy Meredith denied knowledge of the fraud but did question quietly his teammate’s lack of passes.

However, it was agreed that the blame solely lay with the players so no sanctions were issued against the clubs including any point deductions. The 2 points United gained helped them avoid relegation.

Most of the actions were void as the league was suspended and once it resumed all bans except Enoch West’s were lifted in recognition of their service during the war. Sadly, United’s Sandy Turnbull was killed in action during the war.

As the league’s membership increased upon its resumption the relegation issue would also have been void.

The final ban was lifted in 1945 when a 59 year old Enoch West was cleared to play once more.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2014/12/11/united-and-liverpool-in-match-fixing-scandal/feed/0UtdLive1915FixalloftheballCan Clare locate Liam again??https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/15/can-clare-locate-liam-again/
https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/15/can-clare-locate-liam-again/#respondSun, 15 Jun 2014 17:45:43 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=145After defeat by Cork in the Munster championship Clare now start the same road they took last year. I take a look at something this year’s Clare team could be the first to do.

When Clare captain Pat Donnellan received the Cup in September after leading his county to All Ireland success, he was only one of three men in history to enjoy such and honour. Amby Power was the first back in 1914 and current Dublin manager Anthony Daly lifted it twice in 1995 and 1997.

However, neither Power nor Daly could manage to lead their teams to successive All Ireland titles. In fact, only five counties have achieved this. The big three of Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny have done it multiple times together with Wexford in the 1950s and Galway in the 1980s.

Clare’s first attempt came in 1915 after Amby Power had led his team to victory over Laois the previous year. In a lob sided Munster Semi Final against Waterford in the Gaelic grounds the Banner men ran out easy winners by 10-4 to 2-1.

The final was a repeat of the previous year as they came up against Cork again. However, the Rebels reversed the result with a comprehensive 8-2 to 2-1 score line thus ending Clare’s first chance of back-to-back titles.

When Anthony Daly announced in the Hogan stand in 1995 that after 81 years a missing person by the name of Liam McCarthy had been found alive and well he found himself in a position only Amby Power had experienced all those years before. A very different Ireland existed but Hurling’s championship remained the same.

The back door system was not in place yet so the following year when Clare were dramatically beaten by Limerick in the Munster Semi final by a single point at the death another chance at back-to-back successes failed.

Perhaps it was down to the trap door of success that caused their early exit in 1996 but the following year Clare and Daly proved they were still one of hurling’s dominant teams as they won their third All Ireland title. This would be their last attempt at back-to-back successes before next year’s championship and would prove to be the most controversial.

They beat Cork in Thurles in the Munster semi before playing Waterford in the final. A physical contest resulted in a draw. Suspensions were handed out before the replay due to some of the encounters however Clare made no mistake the next day winning by 2-16 to 0-10.

Offaly who were beaten in the Leinster Final progressed to the All Ireland semi final against the Banner due to the back door system that was introduced the previous year. Clare experienced their second draw of the campaign as the sides ended 1-13 apiece. The replay became the most controversial game in recent hurling history.

With Clare three points up in the 68th minute the referee Jimmy Cooney surprisingly blew the whistle. Confusion and outrage occurred resulting in the game having to be replayed again. This time Offaly came out on top winning by 0-16 to 0-13 and as a result ending Clare’s back-to-back All Ireland attempts.

In his speech, Pat Donnellan said this year’s Clare team would not disappear. He and his teams moment in history has arrived.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/15/can-clare-locate-liam-again/feed/0Clare CaptainalloftheballWhat? Samba football comes from Southampton??https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/04/what-samba-football-comes-from-southampton/
https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/04/what-samba-football-comes-from-southampton/#respondWed, 04 Jun 2014 20:04:36 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=135As the World Cup in Brazil starts next week I look at the origins of the game in the host nation.

Pele, Zico, Ronaldhino and Neymar are all legendary names of Brazilian football. However, one name that stands above them all is Charles Miller.

He never donned the famous canary yellow shirt or curled balls from extraordinary angles or showed wizardry as he glided by defenders but his influence on what the world calls Brazilian football was equally important.

His story begins in Sao Paolo where he was born in 1874 to a Scottish father and a Brazilian mother. At 10 years old, his parents sent him to Southampton’s Banister Court public school in the south of England. It was here he was exposed to the game of football.

He played with his school and with the newly formed club St Marys (today it exists as Southampton FC) before returning to his homeland in 1894. When returning, he famously carried home two leather footballs and some kit.

A member of the Sao Paulo cricket team he asked a few of his teammates to play football. Their first game in 1895 against a make shift team from the local gas works was a success. However finding opposition was proving difficult.

Then In 1897, Hans Nobiling a German immigrant and ex Hamburg player after finding his attempts to play with Sao Paolo AC rebuffed, helped found SC international with other non-Anglo immigrants.

3 more clubs followed, SC Germania (a breakaway from SC international), Mackensie College (an American student team) and CA Paulistino (a team from the Brazilian elite) who all created the Liga Paulista the very first football league in Brazil.

Sao Paulo AC won the initial three championships in 1902, 03, 04 with Charles Miller as captain.

However, after a humiliating defeat (9-1) in 1906 Sao Paulo AC resigned from the league as did Charles Miller from its board of directors.

Football continued to thrive and its adoption by the general native population helped create a part of Brazilian culture that exists in all areas of Brazilian society.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2014/06/04/what-samba-football-comes-from-southampton/feed/0imagealloftheballSix Yards to Pontiac – “The Catch” and the 1981 NFC Championship gamehttps://alloftheball.com/2014/01/12/six-yards-to-pontiac-the-catch-and-the-1981-nfc-championship/
https://alloftheball.com/2014/01/12/six-yards-to-pontiac-the-catch-and-the-1981-nfc-championship/#respondSun, 12 Jan 2014 12:54:07 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=125On Saturday night the New Orleans Saints exited this year’s NFC Championship thus officially ending any chance of another game to be played in the historic Candlestick Park. I look at the game most consider the stadiums greatest event.

Sport loves iconic moments….one moment that remains in the memory, which dictates winners and losers, which shape whole sports.

Maradona’s hand of god in the 1986 world cup, Mandela in a springbok jersey in 1995, Darby’s goal against Kerry in 82 or Solskjaer’s goal in the 99 champion’s league final. All unforgettable and a sporting montages dream.

The 1981 NFC championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys created one such moment. It was simply known as “The catch.”

However, these moments only piggy back on a much bigger story. The combination of the other blocks, saves, decisions and scores in these games that determine the result.

Both teams had experienced different fortunes the previous season with the 49ers failing to reach the playoffs with a 6-10 record while the Cowboys at 12-4 reached the championship game only to lose to the Eagles.

A major overhaul to the Niners defence in the off season included the introduction of future hall of famer Ronnie Lott.

The improved 49ers won the western division title and with it the number one seed with a 13-3 record. Their 45-14 defeat of the Cowboys in week 6 proved essential as Dallas equaled their own previous season’s record of 12-4. This also secured their fifth eastern divisional title in six years.

The 49ers met the New York Giants at Candlestick Park in their divisional playoff. Joe Montana in his first playoff game passed for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns as the home side ran out 38-24 winners.

The Cowboys had a much easier time hammering Tampa Bay 38-0 in their divisional playoff game at Texas Stadium.

The scene was then set for the third meeting of these two franchises in the NFC championship game.

The sides had met in the very first NFC Championship game in 1971 with the Cowboys winning 17-10 at the then home of the 49ers, Kezar Stadium. The following year in Texas the 49ers were again denied the championship with Dallas winning 14-3.

On January 10th 1982 the Niners in their new home of Candlestick Park had the chance to finally overcome the Cowboys.

The home side opened the scoring with an 8 yard touchdown pass from Montana to Freddie Solomon but the Cowboys responded with a Rafael Septien field goal before Dallas’s quarterback Danny White connected with Tony Hill for a touchdown to leave the score 10-7 to Dallas at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter the 49ers took the lead again with a touchdown pass from Montana to Dwight Clark from 20 yards but the Cowboys again came back and a Tony Dorsett rushed touchdown saw them lead 14-10 at the break.

Only one score was registered in the 3rd quarter when San Francisco’s Johnny Davis rushed for 2 yards to leave the home side ahead 21-17 heading in to the final quarter.

Dallas who were going for their sixth championship victory converted a field goal early in the 4th quarter to leave just the minimal between them at 21-20. The tension in Candlestick Park was building. Then to the bay area’s horror Dallas’s Danny White connected with Doug Cosbie for the Cowboys third Touchdown to put the Texans ahead 27-21.

With 4.54 left in the game the Niners received the ball at their own 11 yard line. Thus began the road to history. Marching 83 yards up the field they found themselves at the Cowboys 6 yard line with 58 seconds on the clock facing a 3rd down and 3. Rolling to his right Montana lifted a high pass to the back of the end zone where a leaping Dwight Clark made “the catch” to tie the game 27-27.

Despite this iconic moment in the 49ers and Candlestick Park’s history more football had to be played before it could earn its place. Firstly Ray Wersching held his nerve to convert the extra point to put the 49ers in front 28-27.

Then the defenses often unaccredited plays but still equal in importance to “the catch” took place. Danny White connected with Drew Pearson which looked odds on for a game winning touchdown for the Cowboys but Eric Wright made the all important saving tackle.

The Cowboys were still in field goal territory and had the winning of the match. Then 2 plays later Lawrence Pillars sacked Danny White forcing a fumble which was recovered by the 49ers Jim Stuckley to secure victory and earn “the catch” it’s moment in history.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2014/01/12/six-yards-to-pontiac-the-catch-and-the-1981-nfc-championship/feed/0The Catchalloftheball49ers at Wembley…We’ve been here before. (Part 3)https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/24/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-3/
https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/24/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-3/#respondThu, 24 Oct 2013 19:48:52 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=120We continue looking at the 49ers previous visits to Wembley ahead of their international series game against the Jaguars in the same venue on October 27th.

It would be 18 years before the 49ers would return to London. However, this time it would not be a pre-season exhibition game but a fully fledge regular season game.

The NFL had introduced the historic international series in 2005 when the 49ers beat the Cardinals in Mexico City in the first regular season game to be played outside of the US.

In 2007 the series moved to London when the Giants beat the Dolphins in the first regular season game to be played at Wembley.

It has a home here until at least 2016 but it was back in 2010 when the niners first travelled to London for the series in a matchup with the Denver Broncos.

Mike Singletary was the 49ers coach on this occasion and he faced similar to Seifert a quarterback problem of his own. Alex Smith had begun the season as starter but poor performances had made Singletary to start backup Troy Smith.

Geographical closeness allowed myself watch the 49ers in the flesh for the first time since going to Candlestick a few years earlier.

After Michelle Williams and Guitarist Jeff Beck had played the American and British national anthems the 83,941 fans in the stadium roared its approval when Denver and San Francisco legends John Elway and Jerry Rice came on to the turf for the coin toss.

Unfortunately, the excitement was not reflected on the field as both teams failed to get a grip of the game in the first half. The only score a Joe Nedley field goal came at the end of 7 and a half-minute drive in the first quarter to leave the score 3-0 to the 49ers at half time.

The game started to come to life in the third quarter when Denver’s Kyle Orton threw a 71 pass to WR Brandon Lloyd leading to Tim Tebow to run from 1 yard for the game’s first touchdown.

The 49ers then missed a field goal and were nearly punished when Orton found Jabar Gaffney on a 38 yard Touchdown pass only for it to be called back due to a penalty. The Broncos did kick a 32 yard field goal to lead 10-3 going in to the last quarter.

The fourth quarter saw Troy Smith complete his first big pass to Delanie Walker for a 38-yards and ended the drive by carrying the ball over himself from one yard to tie the game at 10-10.

Energised from this on their next drive Smith threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree to put the niners in front again.

When 49ers linebacker Manny Lawson stripped the ball from Orton to give possession back to Smith the Niners forced home their advantage with Gore crossing the goal line to make it 24-10.

The game still had some excitement and when Lloyd crossed the line for his second Touchdown for the Broncos it seemed we were back to a one score game but then surprisingly Sparter missed the extra point to leave 8 between.

As the Broncos pushed for the needed touchdown 49ers Spencer intercepted the ball with 39 seconds left on the clock that allowed them run down the clock and leave Wembley as 24-16 winners.

The success lifted their season momentarily but would end outside the playoffs with Mike Singletary removed as head coach.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/24/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-3/feed/0imagealloftheball49ers at Wembley…We’ve been here before. (Part 2)https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/22/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-2/
https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/22/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-2/#commentsTue, 22 Oct 2013 22:02:45 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=116We continue looking at the 49ers previous visits to Wembley ahead of their international series game against the Jaguars in the same venue on October 27th.

In August 1992, the 49ers returned to Wembley to play the Washington Redskins who were the reigning Super Bowl champions.

This time 61,772 crowded into the London venue to witness the latest chapter of the American Bowl.

George Seifert had taken over coaching duties from Bill Walsh since their last visit. One of the main issues he had to deal with at that time was the starting quarterback question of Young or the injury prone Montana.

On this occasion, Young started but it was the Redskins who dominated the scoreboard in the first half.

A Chip Lohmiller field goal set things in motion and things got worse for the Niners when Young was sacked in the end zone for a safety leaving the score 5-0.

Then with seconds left in the half, Washington’s Ricky Ervins crossed the goal line to leave the score 12-0 at the break.

A different 49er’s came out in the second half and two touchdowns saw them hit the front 14-12.

However, the World champion Redskins hit back with 3.32 left in the game as Lohmiller kicked his second field goal to leave the Niners trailing 15-14.

By this stage, Steve Bono had replaced Young as quaterback.

On the final drive, Bono managed to move the ball up the field to the Redskins 30 yard line with only seconds left on the clock.

Mike Cofer had earlier missed two field goal attempts but this time as the clock ran out he held his nerve and kicked the 48-yard winning score.

The final score was San Francisco 17 Washington 15.

The 49ers had experienced their first success in Wembley at the start of a season that would end in defeat to the Cowboys in the NFC championship game despite having accounted for the same Redskins in the previous round.

]]>https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/22/49ers-at-wembleyweve-been-here-before-part-2/feed/1imagealloftheball49ers at Wembley…We’ve been here before. (Part 1)https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/21/49ers-at-wembley-weve-been-here-before/
https://alloftheball.com/2013/10/21/49ers-at-wembley-weve-been-here-before/#respondMon, 21 Oct 2013 21:35:35 +0000http://alloftheball.wordpress.com/?p=104The second NFL international series game this year takes place on October 27th at Wembley stadium and will see the San Francisco 49ers play the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The 49ers are no strangers to the English capital as this will be their fourth appearance at Wembley.

San Francisco’s golden era spanned from the early eighties to the late nineties and it was in that period they made their first appearance in London.

On the 31st July 1988, three and a half years after they had come head to head in the Super Bowl, Dan Marino’s Miami Dolphins played the Niner’s in front of 70,000 at Wembley in the American Bowl.

Starting quarterback for the 49ers that day was Joe Montana but he was replaced by Steve Young early in the second quarter not having registered a score.

Dan Marino similarly was replaced by backup Ron Jaworski in the 2nd quarter but by that time Miami’s lead was 10-0. Lorenzo Hampton having ran in a Touchdown while Fuad Reveiz converted a field goal.

Young’s introduction immediately made an impact with his first drive ending in a 2-yard pass to current running backs coach Tom Rathman for their first score.

Another Touchdown ran in by Terrance Flagler gave the Niners the lead but a Reveiz field goal just before the break left Miami trailing by only a single point 14-13 at the half.

At the start of the second half the games first turnover saw Miami’s Jackie Shipp recover a Harry Sydney fumble and rush for 11 yards to put the Dolphins back in the lead. However, it was short lived as Doug Dubose ran over a 1 yard touchdown to restore the niners lead 21-20.

Both teams changed quarterbacks again in the last quarter with John Paye replacing Young and Dave Archer replacing Jaworski.

Don Shula’s change proved the most significant as with 1.28 left on the clock Archer ran 4-yards for Miami’s and the game’s final score to leave the scoreboard Miami 27 San Francisco 21.